Opera has joined the list of browsers fully optimized for Windows on ARM. Starting today, Opera users can download a new Developer build for ARM64 on Windows. According to a post on the official Opera blog, ARM-optimized Opera for Windows offers twice the performance (based on the Speedometer benchmark) of its emulated counterpart, giving users "the best possible experience," especially on the newest ARM-based Windows computers.
Opera is now optimized to make the most of your device’s capabilities. Thanks to support from Microsoft’s App Assure team and Qualcomm Technologies, the latest Opera build runs more than twice as fast* on this new generation of PCs. Opera is committed to providing the best possible experience on every device, including the newest Arm-powered Windows PCs.
In addition to providing snappier performance, Opera for ARM will offer much better energy efficiency. The company claims that users will be able to combine Snapdragon X"s power-efficient design with the browser"s built-in battery saver to get the most out of a single battery charge. Those already owning computers with ARM chips will also benefit from significant performance and energy efficiency uplifts.
It is worth noting that as of right now, Opera for Windows on ARM is only available from the Developer channel. However, a stable release should not make users wait too long.
Microsoft and Qualcomm are getting ready to launch a wave of Snapdragon X-powered AI PCs later this year. Both companies feel like they can finally rival Apple"s M processors, and developers seem to be supporting the initiative. Google, for example, recently released the ARM64-native version of Chrome, which is a big deal, considering that it is the most popular browser in the world.
The first AI PCs with Snapdragon X chips inside will show up at Microsoft"s May 20 event.